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Louise Kames: I Don’t See Anything That’s Not Beautiful Opening at the Figge Art Museum

Davenport, Iowa (November 21, 2024) – A new exhibition will be opening at the Figge Art Museum on Saturday, November 30. Louise Kames: I Don’t See Anything That’s Not Beautiful invites viewers to explore themes of deterioration and transformation through Kames’s reflective drawings, prints, and installations

The exhibition offers an opportunity for contemplation inspired by nature and personal histories. Kames, an artist and art professor from Dubuque, Iowa draws upon her own experiences and relationships to reflect on the impacts of memory loss and the beauty found in everyday acts.

Kames encounters with a woman with dementia, who ritualistically gathered sticks and leaves into piles to “beautify the landscape” and soothe her mind, inspired one of the series I Don’t See Anything That’s Not Beautiful. The series includes charcoal and pastel drawings, screen prints on fabric, and transfer prints on pages from a prayerbook, each exploring the beauty found in ordinary things and the profound changes brought on by memory loss.

The exhibition also features Kames’s latest series depicting a mature willow tree from her yard. Slowly dying due to Iowa’s prolonged drought, the tree is rendered with intricate care, embodying a metaphor for resilience and loss. Kames compares her artistic practice to acts of devotion, sharing, “I find pleasure and solace in the simple act of seeing… My hope is to draw the viewer into a similar contemplative space.”

The Figge Art Museum will offer accompanying programming to complement the exhibition, including a printmaking workshop in which Kames will demonstrate some of the techniques she used to create works in the exhibition. The Figge will also host a panel of healthcare professionals, family caretakers, and patients in the early stages of Dementia, to discuss the impact of the disease on those who are afflicted and their caretakers. These programs invite the community to engage with Kames’s themes of mindfulness, memory, and beauty in unexpected places.

“Over 6 million Americans have some form of Dementia, and that number is only expected to continue to rise, said Figge Senior Co-Curator Joshua Johnson. “With that staggering statistic in mind we think that is important to share work like Kames’s that focuses on this difficult topic.”

Kames holds an MFA in drawing and printmaking from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, an MA in Art History from the University of Illinois, and a BA in studio art and art history from Clarke University, where she is a professor of art and directs the Art + Design Program.

“Kames’s work invites us to slow down and truly see the beauty and significance in everyday life, even in moments of change and loss,” said Figge Executive Director and CEO Melissa Mohr. “We hope visitors will find comfort and inspiration in her thoughtful, meditative pieces.”

Louise Kames: I Don’t See Anything That’s Not Beautiful will be on view in the Figge’s Gildehaus Gallery through April 6, 2025, and is made possible through the generous support of Andy and Debi Butler, Susan Perry, and Stan Goodyear.

For more information about the exhibition and programming, please visit www.figgeartmuseum.org.

Companion Programming: 
January 11, 2025 | 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Second Saturdays at the Figge
Activities will feature a printmaking workshop with artist Louise Kames and a public family friendly printmaking activity.

March 13, 2025 | 5:00 p.m. Bar Opens | 6:30 p.m. Panel Discussion in Auditorium
Louise Kames and Company – Panel Discussion
Hear from a panel of healthcare professionals, family caretakers, and patients in the early stages of Dementia, discussing the impact of the disease not only those who are afflicted, but also their caretakers. Moderated by Art Therapist Dana Keeton.

April 3, 2025 | 5:00 p.m. Bar Opens | 6:30 p.m. Artist Talk in Auditorium
Louise Kames: I Don’t See Anything That’s Not Beautiful Celebration and Artist Talk
Hear directly from artist Louise Kames as she introduces her exhibition.

About the Figge Art Museum: 
The Figge Art Museum is dedicated to bringing art and people together. Located on the Mississippi River in downtown Davenport at 225 West Second Street, the Figge is the premier art exhibition and education facility between Chicago and Des Moines. Its landmark glass building, designed by British architect David Chipperfield, is home to one of the Midwest’s finest art collections and presents world-class exhibitions, art classes, lectures, and special events that attract visitors of all ages. Museum hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday; 10 a.m.-8 p.m. on Thursdays; and 12-5 p.m. on Sundays. Reservations are not required but can be made at www.figgeartmuseum.org or by calling 563-345-6632. Admission to the museum is $14 for adults, $10 for seniors and students with ID, and $8 for children ages 4-12. Admission is free to Figge members and institutional members and to all on Thursday evenings. You can become a member for as little as $50 by visiting the Figge website. To contact the museum, please call 563-326-7804, or visit www.figgeartmuseum.org. 

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